We assembled a group of longtime ‘Pods for a virtual trivia game Friday with players from Vegas, baby; Virginia, Dearborn, MI and Ypsilanti, MI. We managed to make a nice comeback – moving up from fifth place to second after a rough set of regular and mystery round questions and getting the final correct. And thankfully we had a couple of players who were knowledgeable about ballet (I’m a big “not it” in that category unless it involves movies with actor Mikhail Baryshnikov in them, and then I’m passable)!

Here are the questions we faced:

1. Magazines – What magazine, founded in 1917, is known for publishing various annual lists, including the 500, the 400, and the Celebrity 100? Classic ‘Pods maneuver – we talked ourselves out of the correct answer (this won’t be the first time we do this on this night)!

2. Winners – Simon Pagenaud was the winner of what annual event in 2019, the first Frenchman to win since 1920? Clearly we do not know our “ocho” sports as well as we should – miss.

3. Ballet – What ballet position has the dancer standing on one straight leg with the other extended straight behind the body and shares its name with a style of ornamental Moorish architecture? And Angela (Sam’s wife) and Susan (Dave’s wife) were both excited to know this for big points! This was a fun excuse to share ballet memories – Michelle and I both had to take ballet for a minute when we were kids (what Gen X girl didn’t have to at least give ballet a try – ugh…)? I had dress code issues from day one – my instructor did not like me wearing my Star Wars T on top of my leotards (that ballet studio, aka the “Rogers Lodge” in Clio, MI was a tad drafty – I wanted to wear layers)!

4. Actors – What actor portrayed twins Charlie and Donald Kaufman in the 2002 film Adaptation? I may not know much about ballet, but I know some things about THIS actor! Love some of his crazy movie scenes, like yelling at Ben Stein’s character while they waited in an airport line in Honeymoon in Vegas – and too many others to name (most of which are in Vampire’s Kiss). King of the overactors!

5. Viral Videos – In a video that went viral in May 2019, a 96-year-old veteran performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” before a U.S. Women’s National Team soccer match on what wind instrument? We thoughtfully discussed quite a number of instruments we knew to be “wind” instruments – including clarinet, oboe, flute, piccolo, saxophone (yes it’s really a wind instrument because it has a reed) – and even some of the oddball ones like bassoon and bass clarinet. And it was NONE of these…big miss. Clearly we didn’t watch this video!

6. Presidents -Which U.S. president announced that the United States had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb? A lot of discussion, but we went the wrong way with our answer, so no points.

7. TV Series – Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead are main characters on what TV series that debuted in 2017?

8. Cover Songs – Name one of the two credited artists who charted on the Billboard Hot 100 with a cover of the Fleetwood Mac song “Landslide,” one in 2003 and one in 2011. Sing this one in a karaoke bar and everyone will get depressed (believe me, I should know)!

NERD POINT: Name both.

Missed the bonus, but got the main points.

9. Islands – Greenland, the largest island in the world by area, is an autonomous territory of what country? Mike was immediately all over this one…

10. Disorders – What six-letter word fills the blank in the partial description of a disorder officially recognized by the World Health Organization?

“A pattern of persistent or recurrent _ behavior, which may be online or offline”

Big stumper for all of the teams, based on the number of incorrect guesses.

Mystery – Twisted Titles (Green Day songs edition)

The correct response to each part is the title of a #1 alternative song by Green Day with just ONE letter changed. Give the new song title based on the description.

For example, if I said “Green Day walks a lonely road made for the nighttime visions of those licensed to buy and sell stocks,” you would answer “Boulevard of Broker Dreams,” which is one letter different from “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

Me and Mike came up with the answer for #2, then I let the team have a go at it so I could get the laundry from the dryer (I am not really a Green Day gal).

M1. Do you have the time to listen to Green Day whine in their early hit about a legal action involving fancy coffins?

M2. The title track to an album that inspired a musical about a U.S.-born phrase or expression with a nonliteral meaning

M3. You know where I’ll be found—playing Green Day’s single about using a toothed tool to untangle hair on every side of their heads

M4. The insurgency will rise in Green Day’s 2009 hit about how frozen precipitation is an adversary

Only missed the last one (nice job, guys)!

We were in fifth going into the final with 46 points. But we liked the sound of the final category, so we bet all of the marbles:

Final Category – Islands

Name two of the three islands with populations above ten million that have their territories split between two or more sovereign countries.

Woot, we got it! Moved up to second place. After having made the flubs we made, this was pretty sweet!

Unsure when our next trivia game will be, as always, Go Pods, and stay classy, Nic Cage (though you are much more funny when you are not classy)!